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- A certified pre-owned vehicle provides customers with the same peace of mind as buying or leasing a new vehicle at a fraction of the cost.
- GM’s expansion of its used vehicle lineup comes amid historic affordability concerns in the new car market.
- Customers who find a vehicle on CarBravo will complete their purchase at a participating GM dealer.
Car Bravo, General Motors’ used car retail platform, is doubling the warranty period on its competitors’ used inventory.
GM will cover issues with eligible vehicle inventory sold at approximately 700 participating dealers for 12 months or 12,000 miles through the Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty beginning with purchases on or after January 5, 2026.
CarBravo program leader John Fitzpatrick told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Jan. 9 that the longer warranties on certified pre-owned vehicles provide peace of mind for customers already struggling with vehicle affordability concerns.
People who buy used cars that haven’t been inspected by the automaker’s trained technicians are left wondering, “What’s behind this car? Who’s driving this car? Has it ever been in an accident?” he said. “This lets consumers know that if they have a problem in the first year, we’re here to help.”
GM’s expansion of its used vehicle lineup comes amid historic affordability concerns in the new car market. New and used car prices will soar in 2025, interest rates will remain high and buyers are taking out the longest loan terms ever, according to the latest data from Edmunds.com.
Last year, we set records for the highest percentage of new car buyers with monthly payments of $1,000 or more, as well as new records for average monthly payments and average financing amounts.
CarBravo features used vehicle inventory from many of GM’s participating dealers, as well as used vehicles owned by GM and its financial division. There are currently approximately 16,000 vehicles listed on the site.
Long-term protection for used cars
GM designed CarBravo to compete with online retailers Carvana Co. and CarMax Inc., but not with its own dealerships. Customers can still complete their vehicle purchases at participating GM dealers.
So far, 700 of GM’s roughly 4,000 U.S.-operated dealerships have agreed to participate, representing every brand except Cadillac, which has its own CPO program. Although not all dealers list their inventory, CarBravo customers can have warranty work done at any GM dealer’s service department.
Fitzpatrick added that if a non-GM vehicle requires warranty work, customers can still bring the vehicle to a GM dealer for repair.
To be eligible for warranty, your vehicle must be less than 10 years old and have less than 100,000 miles.
Since its launch in 2023, the platform has offered certified pre-owned vehicle inventory produced by other automakers, but excludes certain luxury car brands and vehicles that have been modified by previous owners. Previously, that coverage period was after six months or 6,000 miles.
Fitzpatrick said the majority of CarBravo’s listed vehicle inventory is less than five years old, but cars, trucks and SUVs that are six to 10 years old are on the rise. GM says older, high-mileage vehicles may be eligible for a 30-day or 1,000-mile powertrain warranty, but they must still be less than 15 years old and have less than 150,000 miles on them.
CarBravo is designed to start the marketing and sales process for used car inventory at GM dealerships, but it’s also a good way for those dealers to transition used car customers to new cars.
Fitzpatrick said about 35% of customers who purchased used car inventory on CarBravo in the first eight months of 2025 ended up buying a new car because dealership employees were able to convert those buyers during the sales process.
“We wanted to give dealers more of an opportunity to enter the used car market and bring customers into the showroom,” he said. “Right now, the used car market is very affordable, and our dealerships need a way to reach budget-conscious customers and give them prices that stay within their budget.”
Last year, nearly 100,000 used car sales began on CarBravo. If desired, buyers can review pricing and monthly payment details with dealers through the CarBravo site, or go directly to the dealer when they find a car they’re interested in.
Free Press staff writer Jamie L. LaReau contributed to this report.
Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. please contact her jcharniga@freepress.com.
